Sample box cover

I have updated the image using Ed Wedig's logo. It uses other fonts and is more prominent than the older logo. I still plan to use the older logo for the card back, but for the cover, I think this logo looks much better!

I also added the mini-game chart. Each individual box set is for 1 player. But a player may use his set and play with up to three (3) other players for a 4 person versus game. Players can also play a two (2) person dual.

Please comment, let me know what you think of it?!

Update: Made some minor corrections (added noises to bands, a light effect to the text, and moved the logo down - a little bit).

Comments

I think the artwork is great! The scene looks cool and the art looks professional. My one critique is the font choice, especially for the word "Tradewars". It doesn't fit the modern look of the rest of the art. I prefer the font used for the "exterra edition".

...My one critique is the font choice, especially for the word "Tradewars". It doesn't fit the modern look of the rest of the art...

Well this was the font that I had initially chosen for the logo and had it submitted to a *Graphics Designer* to make it appear more professional. I guess he liked the font, because he did not change it, he only added layers for shadows. The bottom font for "Exterra Edition" was chosen by him also. So if he did not like the font, he would have changed it...

Note: The "Exterra" font would have been TOO BIG for that part of the title. I think shrinking the size would have also reduced the prominence of the logo...

I agree about the font. The "d" is too squat. When I saw the thumbnail image, it looked more like an "n." It looks kind of like the Impact font scaled slightly down vertically in Photoshop. It's not bad. It just doesn't have the same eye appeal as the other design elements.

Have you done an "across the room test," where you print out the image in its final size and resolution, place it a distance away as though you were exhibiting it at a busy Con, and then you and a group of friends slowly walk toward it to note legibility and at what point you feel the image "pops" for marketing purposes?

It is unlikely that the graphic designer would have suggested a font change if you were calling it your logo, as that is more of a logo redesign than a layout tweak, two separate services. If you've ever been to clientsfromhell.net, you'll know that's the kind of stuff they get twitchy about.

Btw, did you ever play the old Tradewars game back in the days of dial-up BBSs? It is still played today, which may be a problem for you when people want to Google your product.

It is unlikely that the graphic designer would have suggested a font change if you were calling it your logo, as that is more of a logo redesign than a layout tweak, two separate services.

The Graphics Designer was responsible for creating the Logo. That's the logo he created... I paid him to produce a logo as well as help with the basic card layout design. He provided me with all the Font files and effect he used in the logo. Like the dividers use a BURN noise which gives off a nice effect - when you can see it... (Can't see it on the thumbnail)

My game is entitled "Tradewars - Homeworld", like "Quest Adventure Cards". Like everyone in the world was using the term "Quest" even another card game. I had to make legal distinction between the two brands!

The game is strictly a CARD GAME. It is a Deck-Builder designed around three (3) games: Dominion, San Juan and Magic: The Gathering.

And the games are very different. In TradeWars 2002, you travel sectors to trade resources. In my game, cards have trade values which allows you to sell cards for quickSilver (the game's currency) or use them to buy more cards. You can also perform missions which can earn you more quickSilver. Your opponents can try to DESTROY your Homeworld (as one of the ways to win the game) or you can be the first player to reach a scenario specific goal: like build a Palace, earn/trade for 200 quickSilver, destroy an Alien starship, etc.

Also the game features ten (10) distinct roles you can choose from on each one of your turns. This affects what you can effectively do on your turn. You can see OLD version of roles at this link: http://www.bgdf.com/image/sample-reference-card

But I have since modified the roles (added/corrected them). And specifically those changes have been kept secret because the publisher that was reviewing/playtesting the game in 2014 was not interested in moving forwards with the game. As such we felt it was not of value to publicly disclose the NEW roles in the game!

I wasn't meaning to suggest that there was any similarity between the two games, simply that someone Googling "Tradewars" may have a hard time finding your product in all of the clutter of fan and hosting sites. I wish you the best on getting your game to the top of the search results.

I'm not very concerned with Googling the game, it's the least of my concerns. As of this month I am waiting for *Blind* playtesting to occur and then need to send the game to another group for more *Blind* playtesting.

Some Publishers have their own websites they use to promote their games. So I don't even know if I need the domain.

It's the same if you Google "Quest". You'll never find my first game. But if you Google "questccg" you'll see I'm #1 on the rankings. Something like that...

That's also why my USERNAME is so important. If you Google me, you'll find the Quest Adventure Cards game website! :)

It's easy to misconstrue things online. For future reference, I often come across as flippant, because this is the Internet, but I don't intend any disrespect nor am I here to be hostile toward you. Anything I posted about your cover art was with the genuine intent of helping you maximize the potential of your game with an honest and unbiased outsider's perspective. To quote the character of Jennifer Barkley from Parks and Recreation, "You can trust me, because I don't care enough about you to lie."

You'll want to consider your web presence at some point. Using two random examples, let's say I'm a potential customer who saw Sentinels of the Multiverse at a con or played it at a friend's house. I Google it. Bam, whole front page of search results locked in because they chose a unique name. Conversely, I search for Spellcaster, and I'm finding metal bands, Yu-Gi-Oh cards, and when I finally do see it, it's not even the manufacturer's site. Finding it on Boardgamegeek means my potential customer isn't getting the exposure to my other products that he would on my site. My concern with Tradewars isn't just consumer confusion with the BBS game, but also the enormous number of X-wars games flying around right now. Sedition Wars, Dystopian Wars, Trade Wars, Titanium Wars, Car Wars, Star Wars, Puppet Wars, Clockwork Wars, Mage Wars, Summoner Wars . . . ad nauseam. How quickly will someone spot your game's name in that list? Now imagine is thirty times longer.